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Cape Town self drive tours are becoming more and more popular. It's so easy to spend a day sipping wine surrounded by mountains and vineyards, but take your time - don't drink and drive - stay over and extend the pleasure . Three wine estate visits with lunch in between, and a wander around town, is more than enough for one day.
Constantia Wine Route
Grand Cape Dutch homesteads lord over the ancient Constantia vineyards. Groot Constantia is a prime example, but old meets new here in their excellent Simon's Restaurant (tel: 021 794 1143).
Klein Constantia is renowned for its Vin de Constance, which the John Platter wine guide rates as "Superlative".
Buitenverwachting wine estate also receives plenty of accolades and is perfect for a refined picnic under the oaks. Constantia Wine Route: tel: 021 794 1810.
Stellenbosch Wine Route
Almost a hundred wine estates in Stellenbosch offer tastings, some also have restaurants or picnic dining and cellar tours, or in the case of Spier; guided tastings, carriage rides, farm stall, horse riding and cheetah park.
Stellenbosch town has a rich history and stunning architecture, but its university students make sure it lives in the present rather than the past.
Stop at the one hundred year old curiosity shop, Oom Saamie se Winkle, in Dorp street, for an assortment of indescribable peculiarities. Stellenbosch Tourism tel: 021 883 3584
Franschhoek Wine Route
Franschhoek is a top contender for a scenic winelands stayover. Superb restaurants in the main street and on wine estates are. But it would be remiss not to mention SA's top chef Margo Janse at Le Quartier Francais, and the up and coming Reuben Riffel, in the self-named Reuben's Restaurant.
Try and get to Cabričre's Saturday morning cellar tour, where swashbuckling wine grower Achim von Arnim opens bubbly with his sabre (021 876 2630). Franschhoek Tourism tel: 021 876 3603
For more detailed information on self drive tours in Cape Town and other useful information, don't miss to get a copy of our Passport Travel Guide.
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